Grant Opportunities

In support of the Mareeba Shire not-for-profit sector, Council monitors grant funding made available by other organisations.

The grant opportunities below provide key details about a selection of current and reoccurring grants with a community focus.

If you would like to be on the mailing list to receive Community Grant Alerts, please email info@msc.qld.gov.au or contact 1300 308 461.

General Fund Capacity Building Grants – Queensland Community Foundation

Closes: Friday 12 December 2025.
Funding amount: Up to $20,000.

Purpose: The General Fund program focuses on organisational capacity building assisting charities develop their structures, systems, people and skills in order to deliver improved outcomes.

Typically, capacity building focuses on education and training, recruiting, maintaining or recognising volunteers, information technology support systems, and planning and governance which may include strategic plans, constitution reviews or board appraisals.

Before applying, please review the program guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns please email enquiries@queenslandgives.org.au.

Mt Emerald Wind Farm – Community Enhancement Fund

Applications are accepted all year round and reviewed twice a year (post 31 January and 31 July) by a committee comprising local volunteers.

The fund is designed to share the financial benefits of the wind farm with not-for-profit groups, associations and clubs that make a positive difference to the local community.

Organisations with projects within a 50km radius of the Mt Emerald Wind Farm and 40km of the Windy Hill Wind Farm are eligible to apply for a grant from the fund.

In a Good Place

The In a Good Place program gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia, particularly farming communities, the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of community-driven projects, services, activities or initiatives, which clearly and directly focus on strengthening mental health, social / emotional health and wellbeing.

  • Opens 14 January 2026
  • Up to $20,000 available to deliver projects, services, or activities that strengthen mental health and wellbeing. Most previous funding has been for training (such as Mental Health First Aid) or wellbeing activities (free art classes, social gatherings, etc).
  • Focus on agricultural communities with less than 10,000 people.

For more information, please visit: In a Good Place (IAGP)

Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant

Opens 24 February 2026

Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program will boost support for communities across remote, rural and regional Australia to enhance liveability with digital solutions that harness the power of connection.

  • The program will support community-led efforts that embrace new technology and improve digital literacy or digital capability.
  • Grants up to $10,000 are available for not-for-profit community organisations that are providing access to information, technology, education and facilities to support their communities to embrace new technologies and ways of working to build social capital and digital capability.

For more information, please visit: Telstra’s Connected Communities Grants

Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal

Strengthening Rural Communities

There are two streams of funding available within the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Program: Small and Vital and Prepare and Recover.

FRRR’s Small & Vital program supports thriving, resilient, and sustainable remote, rural and regional communities across Australia. In particular, priority will be given to projects that:

  • Support communities to implement generational transition;
  • Invest in outback, remote, and less resourced communities;
  • Build capacity and resourcing for a just and equitable energy transition;
  • Support First Nations-led initiatives that strengthen culture, country, economic participation, and reconciliation.
  • More Information: Strengthening Rural Communities — Small & Vital | FRRR
  • Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and assessed quarterly.

FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants

Opens February 2026

FRRR and our donor partners collaborate with ABC Heywire to help communities take action on the ideas generated by young Australians who attend the annual Heywire Regional Youth Summit.

Up to $10,000 available for projects that address challenges and opportunities identified by the 2026 Heywire winners, with a focus on youth-designed and youth-led solutions for rural and regional communities.

For more information, please visit: FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants

Community Led Climate Solutions

Opens 10 February 2026

The Community Led Climate Solutions grant program supports not-for-profit organisations across remote, rural and regional Australia to drive local climate solutions that reduce emissions through education, engagement and action on:

  • Clean energy;
  • Circular economies;
  • Decarbonisation;
  • Sustainable agriculture and food systems;
  • Biodiverse ecosystems; or
  • Just transitions*.

There are two streams:

  • Stream 1 Engage & Deliver Small Grants – up to $20,000; and
  • Stream 2 Scaling Grants – from $20,001 up to $75,000.

For more information, please visit: Community Led Climate Solutions

RAF Quick Response Grants, Flying Arts Alliance

RAF Quick Response Grants aim to support arts or cultural projects and individual professional development activities that cannot be funded by other means because of their nature of timing.  Regional artists, arts organisations and communities can apply for funding up to $3,000 for individuals and $5,000 for organisations, for expenses such as artist fees, travel costs, materials, venue and equipment hire, insurance and administrative costs. Quick response grants are open ten times per year not including December or January. The next rounds are:

The John Villiers Trust

The John Villiers Trust’s granting is aligned to the strategic goals of building partnerships and strategic relationships with communities.  Funding is available for charitable organisations with DGR status for projects that enhance the wellbeing and development of children and youth in rural Queensland and demonstrates potential outcomes across more than one area of social need e.g. health, social welfare, education, disability. Applications reviewed regularly, no closing dates.

More information: Home – The John Villiers Trust

Wettenhall Environment Trust, Small Environmental Grant Scheme

Grants support projects that enhance and maintain the vitality and diversity of the Australian natural living environment.

Grants between $2,000 and $15,000 are available through the Small Environmental Grant Scheme which supports flora and fauna conservation projects, including monitoring, community education, capacity building and research.

The next round is to be announced.

More information: Wettenhall Environment Trust

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